On View: “Morpheus” Group Show at Copro Gallery

Currently on view at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, “Morpheus” is a group show guest curated by Morpheus Gallery. Morpheus began as a publishing house in 1989, carving a niche for themselves by showcasing the late, Swiss artist H.R. Geiger and other dark surrealists. The influence of Geiger’s disturbing, biomorphic creations can be easily spotted in the current group show at Copro. Dariusz Zawadzki, a Polish artist, does not shy away from horror and gore, painting foggy scenes in which everything appears to be connected by a tissue-like moss, adding to the feeling of an unescapable, nightmarish world.

Venezuelan artist Jota Leal adds a sense of macabre humor into the mix, presenting a series of monochromatic portraits with a ghoulish air and notes of caricature. American artist Geoffrey Gersten is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Zawadzki. His lighthearted paintings are infused with devious comedy; something sinister seems to lurk beneath the surface of the innocent-looking characters he paints. “Morpheus” will be on view through August 2. Take a look at some of the works below.